Taking photos by yourself in public can be daunting, but pictures are sometimes necessary to help tell the story as a blogger.
Here are some tips on how to make taking photos by yourself easier and less daunting.
- Location: When you’re first starting, you may feel nervous about it so, it is best to choose quiet places that don’t receive much traffic. Start in your backyard, a quiet park, or even inside your home. This helps you start to get more comfortable with taking photos.
If you’re unsure where to shoot, start by scouting places and to write them down in your notes, maps, or on pen and paper. A trick I like to use is to create a guide in Apple Maps. I created a guide called “Places to Take Content” I keep all locations that I want to take photos of in that guide. It has made things so much easier.
- Time of day: Depending on the location, the time you shoot plays a considerable role. For instance, if you are shooting during lunch hour on a Monday in a busy area like an office building, you can expect a lot of people coming in and out and potentially ending up in your photos. Not only is it more work to edit that, but it can make you nervous. I try to shoot on weekends or early in the morning when fewer people are out and about.
Another important thing about time is the sun. Depending on the aesthetic you’re looking for, you may want to know where the sun is at a particular time of day. For me, I like to shoot in shaded areas where the sun is not directly hitting my face or casting shadows on the face.
- Camera or Phone: Choosing a camera versus a phone depends on many different factors, and since cameras and lenses can be pricey, I recommend starting with a phone. In my first year and a half of blogging, I only used my phone. It wasn’t until recently I was ready to make that investment and felt comfortable using a camera in public.
I recommend starting with a phone since most of us already have a phone, most phones have a decent camera. Using a camera provides better quality; however, a camera is more complex, and unless you are familiar with a camera, it can provide additional stress that makes taking photos much harder. But if you choose to go with a camera, I recommend a Canon. I find that Canon is a little easier to work with than a Sony camera. Those are the only two that I use, but you can always visit your local Best Buy to try out cameras to find the perfect one for you. The camera I use is a Canon 90D with a Sigma 18-35 mm lens.
- Sturdy tripod: Stability is crucial when shooting. You want something sturdy enough to withstand any wind and something to protect or equipment. Also, you want something light and easy to carry around as well. I share some of my favorites in the FREE guide.
- Remote: Now, you can choose to use a timer; however, I like to stay fluid when I shoot, and I find that having the remote gives me control to move freely as I shoot. There are remotes for both cameras and phones. For a camera, you may have to do a little more research to find the right one.
- Confidence:
- Have fun:
Planning is crucial for a successful content shooting day. Have your outfits picked out and steamed or ironed. Have the location mapped out and have some poses ready to go. I like to practice in the mirror when I try on outfits. If you’re unsure of how to pose, you can get inspiration from Pinterest.
The most important part of this is to have fun and be confident. Sure it will feel weird at first, but remember to have fun with it. It always helps me to listen to some music right before I shoot or during the process.
I recommend starting with a phone since most of us already have a phone, most phones have a decent camera. Using a camera provides better quality; however, a camera is more complex. Unless you are familiar with a camera, it can provide additional stress that makes taking photos much harder. But if you choose to go with a camera, I recommend a Canon. I find that Canon is a little easier to work with than a Sony camera. Those are the only two that I use, but you can always visit your local Best Buy to try out cameras to find the perfect one for you. The camera I use is a Canon 90D with a Sigma 18-35 mm lens.
When shooting, you can you the timer option on both the phone or camera. If you are using your phone and have an iPhone, I recommend using the Live feature because this takes 11 pictures to choose from. But if you’re like me, you want something that allows you to move and have more control of the shutter release. I use a Bluetooth remote that came with my tripod for my phone, and for my camera, I use a Canon BR-E1 remote.
The most important part of this is to have fun and be confident. Sure it will feel weird at first, but just remember to have fun with it. It always helps me to listen to some music right before I shoot or during the process.
When shooting, you can you the timer option on both the phone or camera. If you use your phone and have an iPhone, I recommend using the Live feature because this takes 11 pictures. This gives more options to choose from. But if you’re like me, you want something that allows you to move and have more control of the shutter release. I use a Bluetooth remote that came with my tripod for my phone, and for my camera, I use a Canon BR-E1 remote.
